Get ready to "Roll out!" this October with Transformers: Battlegrounds, the new, tactical, real-time strategy game developed by Coatsink and published by Outright Games. Based on the characters and designs from the ongoing animated Transformers: Cyberverse series, and featuring the said-same actors from the voice cast (!), this game finds Megatron and the Decepticons up to their old tricks. Only the Autobots -- under your control -- can stop them and save the world!

I had a chance to play a hands-on demo of Transformers: Battlegrounds thanks to Outright Games showing off their upcoming titles (including Zoids Wild: Blast Unleashed, which I wrote about last week.) What I found was a younger-skewing game that befits the demographic for the series itself but still offered a lot of fun and a challenge as well, especially for those of you who may be new to the real-time strategy (RTS) or tactical sub-genres of games. It's honestly a great introduction for young players to this type of game so they can build their RTS skills, logic paths, and tactical foresight alongside familiar, colorful characters.

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Image via Coatsink, Outright Games

And when I say "colorful", I mean it; Transformers: Battlegrounds is bursting with color in every frame. It helps that Cyberverse leans more into the cartoonish elements than the live-action movieverse, and this game embraces that aesthetic. But the adaptation of the franchise's most famous characters goes well beyond that: The Autobots and Decepticons each look, feel, move, speak, and fight like their TV show counterparts. There's a lot of variety in the characters as to their stats, like speed, damage-dealing, and special abilities. Bumblebee, your introductory hero and starter Autobot (you can unlock more heroes later and choose different ones based on which challenge you're attempting), is well-balanced with good movement and both melee and ranged combat options. Windblade, meanwhile, has a huge range of motion but is better used as an Overwatch support player who guards your position and takes shots at an enemy during their own movement turn. And then there's Grimlock who's slow as tar but hits like a truck. And that's just one example of an Autobot team!

I didn't get to play through the full game but rather had a chance to sample the first-stage tutorial, an early level game, and a late-stage event which takes players far from the streets of Central City. The environments aren't just colorful and versatile, offering visual treats and tactical bonuses like firing from cover and funneling enemies into position, they're also destructible. Sometimes this will play to your advantage (or disadvantage, if you find yourself too close to these elements), but it's always fun to watch these giant robots wreaking havoc on the urban landscape.

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Image via Coatsink, Outright Games

In addition to the environmental mechanics, each of the Transformers also get their own signature move sets, abilities, voice acting, and, my favorite addition, iconic personalities. Starscream is as Starscream as possible in this game, and fans of the ambitious Decepticon should love it every time he pops up on screen. You'll also see your allies and enemies move about the map in interesting ways, such as when a Decepticon vaults over a fellow Decepticon if they happen to be in their movement path. Why do I mention this? Well, because, while it's a cool touch on its own, that rule changes as soon as Megatron enters the scene. Megatron moves for no one, so if his path crosses with another Decepticon, you best believe they'll move out of his way. (There's another fun fact about Transformers: Battlegrounds' version of Megatron: He'll even use one of his allies to ricochet a blast off of in order to hit an Autobot at an otherwise impossible angle. What a jerk!)

While I only got to play Transformers: Battlegrounds for a very short time, it feels like a very competent RTS game that's both a perfect introduction for younger players and a challenging title even for experienced gamers; there are some difficulty tweaks that pump up the AI to the point that you'll have to play a perfect game to survive. Add the fun-factor and franchise feel of Transformers to the mix and Transformers: Battlegrounds quickly becomes a game that should have your attention, especially if you're a fan of RTS games and the Robots in Disguise. I know I can't wait to jump in and play again!

Check out the game's trailer here, along with the official synopsis:

Are you ready for a game that is more than meets the eye?! TRANSFORMERS: BATTLEGROUNDS is coming to PlayStation this October 23rd. Assemble your squad and roll out for a battle that will rage from Central City to Cybertron...

Here's the official synopsis:

As evil MEGATRON closes in on the Allspark, BUMBLEBEE and the Autobots need a new commander to help save Earth – you! Assemble your squad and roll out for a battle that will rage from Central City to Cybertron... and even to the local multiplayer arcade!

Transformers: Battlegrounds will be available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch & PC Digital this October 23rd.

transformers-battlegrounds-review-release-date
Image via Coatsink, Outright Games
transformers-battlegrounds-review-release-date
Image via Coatsink, Outright Games
transformers-battlegrounds-review-release-date
Image via Coatsink, Outright Games

Dave Trumbore is Collider's Senior Editor overseeing Games, Animation, and all those weird Saturday-morning cartoons no one else remembers. Test his trivia IQ on Twitter @DrClawMD